Ticket issctng machine



TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Jan. 30, 1934. J. E. FlsHBuRN E-r AL 1,945,218

TICKET ISSUING- MACHINE y Filed Feb. 5. 19,51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2,.

"fmwmm//L' Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED- STATES 1,945,218 TICKET IssUrNG MACHINE John Eskdale Fishburn, Uxbridge, and Christopher Frederick Webb., Kenton Park, England,

assignors to Bell Punch Company Limited,

Uxbridge, England Application February 5, 1931, Serial No. 513,678, l and in Great Britain December 10, 1930 24 claims. (C1. 1er- 48) This' invention is for improvements in ticket issuing machines.

The invention particularly relates to machines in which the number of tickets which may be issued at `one operation, is determined by the actuation of a selector device, the invention having for its object the provision of an extremely simple construction of machine which may be summarized as consisting in the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism operatively connected to a movably mounted driving member therefor adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of said member, and a selector device operable to limit the extent of said throw and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one cycle of operation.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a ticket issuing machine constructed in accordance with this invention, 4

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the machine on a line corresponding to the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2, but showing the parts of the mechanism in a dierent position,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but drawn to a larger scale and showing a portion only of.

the front part of the machine with parts o1' the mechanism in a different position to that illustrated in Figure 2 or 3, and p Figure 5 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 4. y

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises an outer casing 1, the iront wallof which comprises a door 2 having a lock 3. The mechanism of the machine is carried by side frames 4 separated by distance pieces. The mechanism is secured to an upper plate 5 by means of rods 6 which are arranged to extend through holes provided in lugs '7 secured to the underside of the plate 5. The rods 6 are also arranged to engage in the drawings, the plate 5 constitutes a closure member for the upper end of the casing and the door 2, when locked in a closed position, retains the mechanism securely in position within the casing.

A web-10 of yfan folded tickets is housed in amagazine 11. The magazine is formed in two halves hinged together at 12 and maintained apart from one another by distance pieces 13, one of which is secured to each of the said halves of the magazine. The upper edges of the magazine 11 are provided with flanges 14 arranged to rest upon supporting rails 15 secured within the casing 1 (Figure 1).

The web 10 is provided with perforations along the length thereof corresponding in pitch to the length' of one ticket and is arranged to extend over a curved guide plate 16 secured to the frame members 4.` The web is arranged to T extend through a slot 17 formed in a platform 18 hereinafter referred to. The web 10 is maintained in contact with'the guide. 16 by means of an outer guide 19 'pivotally mounted to the frame of the machine at 20, and which is maintained in the normal position, as illustrated in the drawings by means of a spring controlled catch 21` pivotally mounted upon the guide 19 and operableto engage with a fixed member 22 secured to the frame members 4.

The guide plate 16 is provided with a-centrally disposed slot 23 extending over a portion of its length through which pins 24, provided upon the periphery of a feed wheelv 25, are .arranged to extend when the said wheel is rotated in a manner hereinafter described. .The feed wheel 25 is 90 carried upon a spindle 26 rotatably mounted in bearings provided upon the frame members 4. The pins 24 of the feed Wheel are arranged to extend through the perforations in the ticket web so that when the wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction, the ticket web is fed through the slot 17 in the 'platform 18. f

A gear wheel, constituted by ay seriesv of pins 27 arranged concentrically with respect to the axis ofl the spindle 26, is provided upon the feed wheel 25 and a notched locking plate `28 carried by an actuating member in theform of a pivotally mounted actuating lever 29 is arranged in the normal position of the mechanism to engage with one of the pins 27 and maintain the' feed wheel in a locked position as shown in Figure 2. The actuating lever 29 is pivoted to the frame member 4 at 30 and is normally vmaintained in thek position illustrated in Figure 2 under the influence of a springl. A toothed rack lever 29 and is maintained by a spring 34 in operative engagement with the pins 27. The actuating lever 29 is provided with an operating.

handle 35 connected thereto by a stem 36 which is arranged to extend through a slot 38 in the door 2 and engage with a socket 37 provided uponv the free end of the lever 29 so that the handle 35 may be removed. A spring controlled detent 39 is arranged to co-act with the pins 27 to prevent rotation of the feed wheel 25 in an anticlockwise direction, Figures 2 and 3. A stop 40 is provided upon the lever 29 and is arranged to co-act in. a manner hereinafter described, with a series of stepped abutments 41, 42, 43 and 44 formed upon a lever 45 pivotally mounted at 46 to the frame of the machine.

A roller 47 is pivotally mounted upon the lever 29 and is arranged to co-act in a manner hereinafter described-.With a plate 48 carried upon a knife actuating lever 49 pivotally mounted at 50 to the frame of the machine. ,The upper end of the lever 49 is provided with a tongue 51 arranged to extend through a slot formed in the platform 18 and through a hole provided in a knife 52 which is arranged to slide upon the platform 18 and is maintained in'contact therewith by a leaf spring 53.

`The lower end of the lever 49 is pivotally connected at 54 to an arm 55 provided with a notch 56 arranged to co-act with a fixed bar 57 in a manner hereinafter described, whilst anextension 58 provided upon the lever 55 is arranged to co-operate with a nose 59 constituted by a portion of the notched plate 28. The arm is arranged under the influence of a tension spring`60 which normally maintains the lever 49 and arm 55 in the positions indicated in Fig- .ure 2 with the cam plate 48 abutting. against the roller 47.

The abutment lever 45 is provided upon its upper end with a transverse bar 61 normally disposed above and clear of the inner ends of a series of differential key levers 62, 63, 64 and 65 which are pivotally mounted at 66 to the frame of the mechanism. vThe key levers 62 to 65 are arranged under the influence of blade springs 67 which normally maintain the said levers in the positions illustrated in Figure 2, in which a lug 68 provided upon each of the key levers abuts against the upper surface of a transversely arranged bar member 69 provided upon a frame 70 which is pivotally mountedat 71 to the frame of the mechanism. A tension spring 72 is connected at one end to the bar 69 and at the other end to an anchoring pin 73 secured to the bar 6l. The `frame 70 is provided with a heel 74, the free end of which is located'adjacent to the teeth of a ten toothed pinion 75 operatively connected to a counter 76. The pinion 75 is yconnected by gearing 77 to the spindle 26, `the ratio of the gearing being such that the rotation of the feed wheel 25 corresponding to the delivery of one ticket, causes a rotation ofv the toothed wheel 75 by an amount corresponding to one tooth which thereby effects an actuation of the counter 76 corresponding to one unit and at the same time a tooth of the wheel 75 is arranged to engage with and move the heel 74 so as to rock theframe 70 in an anti-clockwise direction for a purpose hereinafter described.

The operation of the machine is as follows:-

If it is desired to deliver one ticket only, the handle 35 is depressed, which moves the actuating lever 29 against the influence of the spring 3l.

and causes the stop 40 on the said lever to travel down the adjacent edge of the abutment lever 45 which is maintained in engagement therewith by the spring 72. The spring 72 is thus enabled to move the abutment lever 45 so that'the abutment 41 is brought into position below the stop 40 and arrests the further downward movement of the lever 29.

The downward movement of the lever 29 also causes the notched plate 28 to be disengaged from the pin 27 and the roller 47 to move the cam plate 48 so as to rock the lever 49 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 50. This movement of the lever 49 causes the knife 52 to be moved clear of the slot 17 in the platform 18 and the arm 55 to be moved so that the notched portion 56 of the arm is moved into locking engagement with the bar 57 by the action of the spring 60, thus retaining the knife 52 in position clear of the slot 17. The downward movement of the lever 29 causes the teeth of the rack 32 to ride freely over the pins 27 under the control of the spring 34. The parts of the mechanism in the position described, when the lever 29 is depressed, is clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

Upon the release of the lever 29 the spring 31 moves the said lever upwardly so that the rack 32 rotates the feed Wheel 25 an amount corresponding to the delivery of one ticket andthe web 10 is moved a corresponding amount through the slot 17 and extends partly through a delivery opening 78 in the plate 5. The upward movement of the lever 29 causes the roller 47 to move clear of the cam plate 48 and as thelever 29 moves into its normal position the nose 59 upon the lever 29 strikes the extension 58 of the arm 55, disengaging the said arm from the bar 57l and permitting the spring 60 to move the lever 49 in an anti-clockwise direction. This movement of the lever 49 causes the knife 52 to sever from the web 10 the ticket which is extended through the delivery opening 78. i

If it is desired to deliver 2,3, v4 or 5 tickets at oneactuation of the machine, the corresponding key lever 62, 63, 64 or 65 respectively is depressed prior to the actuation of the lever 29.

As an example, an operation of the machinewill be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

for issuing three tickets.

The key lever 63 is depressed so that the-lug 68 thereon depresses the frame 70 downwardly against the influence of the spring 72 and moves across the upper face of the transversely disposed bar 69 until the said lug rides over the inner edge of the bar 69, whereupon the spring 72 moves the frame 70 upwardly and the bar 69 engages behind the said lug 68 and locks the key 63 in the depressed position as illustrated in Figure 4. In the depressed position of the key 63 the inner end thereof is disposed in the path of movement of the transverse bar 61 on the lever 45 so that the anticlockwise movement of the lever 45, when the actuating lever 29 is depressed, is limited by the bar 61 abutting against the inner end of the depressed key 63. The lever 45 is thus maintained in a position which permits the actuating lever 29 to be depressed until the stop 40 thereon abuts against the abutment 43 on the lever 45, (Figure 4). If, therefore, the lever 29 is depressed as far as is permitted by the abutment 43 the rack 32 is moved relatively to the pins 27 an amount which ensures that upon the return movement of the lever 29 to the normal position, the feed wheel 25 is rotated the requisite amount (in this instance, half a revolution) to deliver three tickets. Y

As soon as the driving wheel for the counter 76 is rotated an amount corresponding to one tooth during the delivery of the three tickets, one of the teeth of the said wheel moves the heel 74 of the frame 70 in the manner hereinbefore described and disengages the transverse bar 69 from the lug 68 upon the key lever 63 which is immediately restored to its normal position by the spring 67 associated therewith.'

It is to be observed that with operations of the machine to deliver any selected number of tickets the initial downward movement of the lever 29 causes the roller 47 thereon to rock the knife actuating lever 49 an amount sufficient to move the knife clear of the slot 17 in the platform 18 and to establish a locking engagement between the arm 55 and the bar 57. Further depression of the actuating lever 29 has no effect upon the lever 49 owing to the configuration of the cam plate 48 and it will be observed that the knife is not released to sever the ticket or tickets from the web 10 until the lever 29 reaches its normal position and simultaneously trips the extension 58 of the arm 55 in the manner hereinbefore described.

If one of the levers 62 to 65 is inadvertently depressed it may be restored to the normal position by the depression of the correct key lever which automatically liberates any other depressed key by disengaging the bar 69 therefrom whilst any underpressed key may be partially depressed to restore a depressed key to the normal position without effecting the retention of such partially depressed keyin a depressed position.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that by the depression of any of the keys 62 to 65, corresponding different operative positions are determined for the stepped abutment lever 45 so that it is possible with the machine described to deliver any selected number of tickets from one to five. The abutment 42 is utilized in the manner described for determining the delivery of two tickets, the abutment 43 for three tickets and the abutment 44 for four tickets whilst when the key 65 is depressed the lever 45 is maintained clear of the downward path of the lever 29 and the slot 38 in the door 2 of the machine limits the downward movement of the stem 36 on the lever 29 so that upon the release of the said lever from such fully depressed position five tickets are delivered.

It will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to a machine arranged to deliver any desired number of tickets and is not limited to the construction illustrated as an examplein the drawings.

It is to be understood that any known forms of dating or other subsidiary printing or impressing mechanism may be incorporated into the machine. vFor example, a dating wheel with an appropriate inking roller may be rotatably mounted upon the ticket guide 19 and arranged. to effect the impression of a date upon the tickets as they pass through the ticket guides.

Further, it is to be understood that when a machine constructed in accordance with this invention is employed, for examplevfor issuing tick ets as receipts for bets in connection with a totalizator, means may beprovided whereby the issue of tickets from the machine is registered upon appropriate mechanism'. v

Such an arrangement may comprise an electrical contact device actuated by a cam or cams mounted upon the spindle 26 so that rotation of the feed'wheel 25 to deliver tickets from the machine causes the contact device to be closed and opened once for the issue of each ticket. The closure of the contact device is arranged to produce an electrical impulse which is utilized to tion of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably, mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism, manipulative means operable to move said driving member to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said manipulative means, and a unidirectionally actuated selector device independent of said manipulative means and operable to limit the extent of the said throw and thereby l determine the maximum number of tickets which may be delivered in one cycle of operation of the delivery mechanism.

2. In a'ticket issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of said member, and a unidirectionally actuatedselector device operable to limit the extent of said throw and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one cycle of operation.

3. In a ticket issuing machine, thecombination of a ticket delivery mechanism, al movably' mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for ydirect manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw ofy the said member, a plurality ofv selector keys and difierential abutment mechanism controlled by said keys to limit the extent of throw of thev said driving member and thereby determine the maxi` mum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation. 1

4. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or` more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said member, a plurality of selector keys operable differentially to control the extent of movement of an abutment lever and differential abutments on said lever movable therewith selectively into the path of movement of said driving member to limit the extent of the throw of said mem ber in accordance with the key operated, and thereby determine` the maximum` number of tickets which can ybe delivered `in one operation.

5. In a ticket issuing machine, the combmation of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct `manipulationy a stepped abutment lever mainabutment is interposed in the path of the driv.

ing member in accordance with the actuation of the selector device to limit the extent of throw of the driving member and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation.

6. In a machine for issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket-delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of said membera unidirectionally actuated selector device operable to limit the extent of said throw and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one cycle of operation and a severing mechanismoperable automatically by said driving member to sever the tickets delivered in each cycle in the form of a continuous strip.

7. In a machine for issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said member, severing mechanism for the ticket web operatively connected to said driving, member and operable once during each actuation of said member, a plurality of selector keys, a differential abutment mechanism controlled by said keys to limit the extent of throw of the said driving member and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation as a continuous strip severed from the web.

8. In a machine for issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said member, severing mechanism for the ticket web operatively yconnected to said driving member and operable once during each actuation of said member, a plurality of selector keys operable diierentially to control the extent of movement of an abutment lever, differential abutments on said lever and movable therewith selectively into the path of movement of said driving member to limit the extent of the throw of said member in accordance with the key operated and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation as a continuous strip severed from the web.

9. In a machine for issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation, severing mechanism for the ticket web operatively connected to said driving member and operable to be actuated thereby once for each operation of said member, a stepped abutment lever maintained in normal position by said driving member and operable upon an actuation ofthe driving member to be moved'so as to carry the abutments successively into the path of movement of said member and a selector device operable differentially to control the extent of movement of the abutment lever,

whereby a predetermined abutment is interposed in the path ofthe driving member to limit the extent of throw of said member in accordance with the actuation of the selector device and thereby determine ,the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation `as a continuous strip severed from the web.

10. In a tickety issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said member, a lever having a plurality of differentially stepped abutments and maintained in normal position by said driving member and operable automatically upon the sole actuation of the driving member to be moved so as to interpose one of said abutments in the path of movement of the said member and thereby limit the movement thereof to the amount necessary to deliver a single ticket and a selector device operable to control the extent of movement of the abutment lever whereby a predetermined abutment is. interposed in the path of the driving member to limit the extent of throw of said member in accordance with the actuation of the selector device and thereby determine the maximum of at least two tickets which can be delivered in one operation.

11. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected' of the said member and thereby limit the movement of the member to the amount necessary to deliver a single ticket and a series of selector keys operable to control the differential setting of the abutment lever whereby a predetermined abutment is interposed vin the path of the driving member to limit the extent of throw of the driving member in accordance with the key actuated and thereby determine the maximum of at least two tickets which can be delivered in one operation.

12. In a machine for issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket deliVery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the throw of said member, severing mechanism for the ticket web operatively connected to said driving member and operable to be actuated thereby once for each operation of said member, a lever having a plurality of diierentially stepped abutments and maintained in normal position by said driving member and operable upon the sole actuation of the driving member to be moved s0 as t'o interpose an abutment in the path of movement of the said member which limits the movement thereof to the amount necessary to deliver a single ticket, and a selector device operable to control the extent of movement of the abutment lever whereby a predetermined abutment is interposedin the path of the driving member to limit the extent of throw of said member in accordance with the actuation of the selector device and thereby determine the maximum of at least two tickets which can be delivered in one operation as a continuous strip severed from the web.

13. In a ticket issuing machine, the vcombination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of throw of the said member, a plurality ofv depressible selector keys, differential abutment mechanism controlled by said keys to limit selectively the extent of throw of said driving member, and mechanism operable automatically to lock any key in the depressed position and operable by at least the partial depression of any other key to release a depressed key.

14. In a ticket" issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, a movably mounted driving member operatively connected with said mechanism and adapted for direct manipulation to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent lof throw 'of said member, a plurality of depressible selector keys, differential abutment mechanism controlled by said keys to limit selectively the extent of throw of said driving member, mechanism operablemautomatically to lock any key in the depressed posi-1 tion and operable by at least the partial depression of any other key to release a depressed key and means operable automatically during each operation of the machine to release a depressed key.

15. In a ticket issuing machine, the combina-1 tion of a ticket delivery mechanism, an oscillatable hand lever for driving the mechanism to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of oscillation of the said lever, and a unidirectionally actuated selector device operable to limit the extent of said oscillation and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered during one oscillation of the hand lever.

16. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, an oscillatable hand lever for driving the mechanism to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of oscillation of the said lever, a ratchet rack and pinion mechanism directly connecting said hand lever and ticket delivery mechanism, and a unidirectionally actuated selector device operable to limit the extent of said oscillation and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered during one oscillation y tion of a ticket delivery mechanism, an oscillatable hand lever for driving the mechanism to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of oscillation of said lever, means including a ratchet rack and pinion mechanism for connecting said hand lever and ticket delivery mechanism, a plurality of selector keys and differential abutment mechanism controlled byl said keys to limit selectively the extent of oscillation, of the hand lever and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets which can be delivered in one operation. Y

19. In a `machinefor issuing tickets from a. continuous web, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, an oscillatable hand lever operatively connected with said-mechanism: for driving the mechanism to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of oscillation of the said lever,l a unidirectionally actuated selector device operable to limit the extent of said oscillation and thereby determine the maxivlation of the said lever, severing mechanism for the ticket web operatively connected to said hand levermand operable once during each oscillation ofthelever, a plurality of selector keys and dif- -ferential abutment mechanism controlled by said keys to limit the extent of oscillation of the hand\ -lever and thereby determine the maximum number of tickets Which can be delivered in one oscillation of the hand lever as a continuous strip severed from the web.

21. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, "an oscillatable hand lever operatively connected with said mechanism for driving the same'to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of oscillation of the said lever, an abutment lever having a plurality of differentially stepped abutments and maintained in normal position by said hand lever and'soperable upon the sole actuation of the hand lever to be moved so as to interpose one of said abutments in the path of movement of the hand lever and limit the oscillation thereof to the amount necessary to deliver a single ticket, and a series of selector keys operable to control the differential setting of the abutment lever, whereby a predetermined abutment is interposed in the path of the hand lever to limit the extent of oscillation of saidl lever in accordance with the key actuated and thereby determine the maximum of at least'two tickets which'ca'n be delivered in one operationl.A v

22. In a machine `ior issuing tickets from a continuous web, the combination of a ticket delivery mechanism, an oscillatable hand lever operatively connected with said mechanism for driving the same to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent ot oscillation of the said lever, an abutment lever having a plurality of differentially stepped abutments and maintained in normal position by said hand lever and operable upon the sole actuation of the hand lever to be moved so as to interpose one of said abutments in the path of movement of the hand lever and limit the oscillation thereof to the amount necessary to deliver a single ticket, severing mechmaximum of at least two tickets which can be delivered in one operation as a continuous strip severed from the web.

23. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination with means for feeding a ticket web, of an oscillatable hand lever movable in one direction to establish a driving connection between'the lever and said web feeding means and movable in the opposite direction to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of said movement! a selector device operable to limit the extent of said movement, and a. knife operable automatically by said hand lever to lsever the web solely when the feeding movement ofthe hand lever has been completed.

24. In a ticket issuing machine, the coxnblna-` tion with means for feeding a ticket web; of a physically displaceable member movable in one direction to establish a driving connection between the member and said web feeding means, and movable in the opposite direction to deliver one or more tickets in accordance with the extent of said movement, a selector device operable to limit the extent of said movement, and a severing device operable automatically by said member to sever the web solely when the feeding movement of the member has been completed.

JOHN ESKDALE F'ISHBURN.` CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB. 

